Mongolia isn’t traditionally a place that springs to mind when you consider other locations in the World. When people say they are traveling to Asia invariably Thailand, China or Japan spring to mind, so, when I said I was traveling to Mongolia with 12 strangers for 2 weeks there were looks of surprise, shock & bewilderment evident on the faces of family and friends.
Being an inexperienced traveler, having only stepped foot in North America and Europe prior to my trip, I would say that my determination to get this one under my belt was significant.
I knew that I wanted to do something a little different and volunteering appealed; I discovered Concordia thanks to Google. Then I found the problem of having so many fantastic projects to choose from. Working with children sounded like it suited me, having spent lots of time with children (having an 8 year old sister largely contributing to this), so I selected the kid’s camp project and chose Mongolia because of its mystery to me and it so different from anywhere I had visited before.
Prior to departure, the planning, the budgeting, and the expectations all seemed overwhelming. The preparation weekend was very useful for reassuring me and it widened my horizons, in addition to stamping out any apprehensions. Hence, I was purely excited on departure.
I got to visit Beijing en route as I had a stopover there, which was a real bonus as it has a lot to offer and is such a memorable city.
On arrival in Mongolia you are instantaneously met with the most priceless scenery you could imagine, miles of green and views that could easily have been transposed onto film by studios eager to find the perfect view for a shot. At the camp the older kids carried our bags (an immediate illustration of the kindness of the children that I was to become struck by) as we took in the surroundings of evergreen trees & spanning mountains as far as could be seen. Behind us the scattering of wooden huts on the hill which would be our station for the next 2 weeks.
Evidently we did not have the creature comforts; the toilets became bearable and the lack of running water was no problem when we had a river a short walk away and a gas stove to boil water on. These things really were not priority as we got immersed into the project after bonding with the children very quickly. Each day the volunteers would organize activities for the kids, who ranged from ages 2 to 12, such as arts and crafts, fashion shows, mini-Olympic games and volleyball tournaments. This was between free time, which we would all choose to spend with the kids anyway.
Most of the kids were orphans so I expected them to be sad and withdrawn, not animated and full of fun as they all were. We were not expecting that they would offer us so much love, and not want a single thing in return.
(The kids in the project are having fun with a cake!!)
Although many of the kids did not speak English, we managed to communicate with them effectively through games and having fun, we all got our messages across. Some of the older kids could speak a bit of English so it was good to get to know them a bit better.
The volunteers had the opportunity to see a different part of the country over 2 days in the middle of the project. We stayed in a desert area with a Mongolian family in a ger tent, what an experience. This really was sampling the culture as closely as anyone could hope to. We also visited Buddhist temples, drank horse milk and saw goats being milked; all symbols of Mongolia.
Traveling after the project came highly recommended from some of my fellow volunteers, who were lucky to do so. There are beautiful lakes to be seen, hot springs and national parks.
To me, this work camp did not feel like work, instead it felt more like I had been privileged to be in this unspoilt country and to spend time with these children who were free from all negative aspects of modern cultures, such as greed.
It was so hard to leave behind the completely compelling and tremendously rewarding time that I had had.
There is a website about the children, with photos,at www.theirfuture.net. Please take a look.
The ‘Paths of Life’ project in Styria, Austria, offered the chance to live and work with people from all over the world, including local youth and disadvantaged people, with the purpose of constructing hiking path stations. We were in charge of 2 stations; a small part of a large hiking path which was designed in the shape of a human figure. The main station formed the elbow section, and we had to dig a really big hole to stand a huge stone sculpture in. The sculpture was designed as an outdoor water basin in which you could dip your elbows following a hard days hiking as it is supposed to be a good cure for headaches. When we weren’t getting muddy, we were getting hot (the weather was lovely) and covered in paint, as we’d been asked to clean and paint the water hydrants in the local area. Consequently there are now some very fine efforts ranging from a variety of influences (postmodernism, free love and ‘Finding Nemo’) (!) to brightening up the village.
(Fay posing behind her piece of art!)
Although I grew quite fond of my spade and shovel, I found the work on the project was the least challenging or rewarding part of the experience. Far more important was being able to live and work together with 12 people from different countries who had never met before. Whilst the facilities in the hostel offered squash, tennis, internet access and a reliable source of ice cream, we slept on the floor in the old sauna with a small outside kitchen. Initially, it was quite a bizarre experience, with not much room for personal space. After a while I got into routine, and developed affection for the marathon snorer who I discover (thankfully) has other things to offer too.
As well as getting to know people individually I also had an education in culture and best of all, in foreign food. I can’t cook and I was put to shame by some of the delicious national dishes other volunteers made for the group to try. In our free time we swam in the local open-air swimming pool, visited the beautiful Styrian capital Graz and were encouraged to get to know the picturesque region we were staying. I did this through working for the local people and exploring it by bike. The locals made us feel welcome and the Mayor baked us fresh bread every morning. I feel privileged to have been part of the mini-community of the Austrian work camp and have fond memories of work and leisure but especially of the lovely people who contributed to it.
I had never been outside of Europe since I was properly able to understand my surroundings and from the outset I was slightly daunted by the prospect of going to Uganda, a so called developing country, to volunteer for two weeks. However, it had always been something I had planned to do and I was determined to challenge myself.
Concordia preparation weekend really put me at ease and dispelled any worries that I had. Particularly with me being a volunteer virgin, it also really helped in terms of making sure I thought of everything I needed to take – plastic bags for dirty washing are a great tip!
Once in Uganda I was met by the leaders of the work camp. They were really great people, as were all of the volunteers at the camp; locals and internationals alike. There were 7 internationals and 9 Ugandan volunteers and we also got plenty of help from the local community. I suppose now is the time to tell you what we were actually there for. The project was based in Kikooba, one of the branches of the Uganda Pioneer’s Association (UPA) and its aim was to continue building a health centre and provide AIDS education to the local community. It was also based next to a school where there were about 140 children.
(Sam with the children of the School)
We were successful in all of our aims, although we would have liked to have finished the health centre but it just wasn’t meant to be. UPA do hope to finish it this year though, which I was pleased to hear. On one of the days, in order to raise AIDS awareness, we staged short dramas for the local community and encouraged discussion afterwards. It was very successful, with many community members attending and I think its success was largely due to the shear enthusiasm of some of the volunteers in handing out flyers and promoting the day in the local town.
All of the volunteers were so friendly, I had been expecting more international people but it didn’t make the slightest bit of difference, everyone got on brilliantly. We had lots of fun both working and relaxing, particularly in the evenings. Most nights we spent dancing around the campfire to the beat of the African drums or down in the town having some drinks and talking to the locals. One evening we had a cultural night where everyone had to present things to do with the culture of their country, in the form of dance, song or talk. It was a wonderful night and all of us from England composed a song about our experience of Uganda and the camp. Although not really to do with English culture, it showed our creative natures and went down really well.
We were also lucky enough to be invited by community members helping on the project to a ceremony taking place within the local community, an Introduction (an Engagement ceremony) and a Gift Circle (gifts are given to the people that invited you and many take place so that the gifts become shared around the community). It was a great privilege to experience the culture firsthand, something I think that no ordinary tourist to a country can actually do.
Probably my favourite part of the project was spending time with the children of the infants’ school. They were aged from around 4 to 12 and were truly amazing. It was wonderful to see children that had not been corrupted by western society, they were so innocent. On a number of occasions they gave me some of their food, which after speaking to a few people I had decided would be ruder to refuse than accept. It humbled me greatly; they had nothing and yet were so willing to give - unbelievable. It was great fun playing with them and although there was a bit of a language barrier we tried to teach each other words. Naturally there were a few that were more confident than the others and spent more time with us, and those children really won my heart.
From start to finish the experience was amazing, even getting used to using a latrine was interesting to say the least. The combination of the worthwhile work, the culture, the fantastic people and the fantastic children has given me some magnificent memories. I am missing it all so much, but hopefully not for too long because I am planning on volunteering in Uganda again next year. I hope then to be able to strengthen the friendships I have already forged and help with more important work, hopefully at the infants’ school as I would love to benefit the children there.
I wasn’t sure if I would, but I’ve caught the volunteering bug! Make sure you do too
EVS volunteer Chris reflects back over his project
I’m spending eleven months in Munich volunteering with a non-profit organisation which oversees music competitions all across Europe, from Lisbon to Moscow. I began European Voluntary Service (EVS) back in January, in Bath, where I received the very-official-sounding (but actually-quite-relaxed) ‘pre-departure training’. There were thirteen of us heading for various desinations, many admittedly more exotic than mine: Peru? Lesotho? Mallorca? Wow. They’d be saving vultures or rainforests, or vultures and rainforests, and I’d be in an office. Every day. We learnt that everyone would get homesick, depressed, lonely and ill, but also that everything would be fine. Hmm.
Some weeks later, my night train from Paris pulled into Munich Hauptbahnhof. It was sub-zero: lakes and canals were frozen over, and the novelty of snow quickly turned to irritation and an itching for summer to arrive: those beer gardens apparently aren’t so inviting when there’s a risk of pneumonia. Warmer was Heidelberg, where I spent ten days on my ‘on-arrival training’ in February and ‘mid-term meeting’ in August – this time getting to know fellow EVSlers in Germany. There are few volunteers here in Bavaria, but those nifty high-speed trains meant making friends based elsewhere would prove a wise move…
Compared to my colleagues in Africa or Latin America, of course, the culture shock here has been mild. One notices the differences, and the first few weeks were full of typical misunderstandings, faux-pas, and getting to grips with the wretched various ways of addressing people... Are you a du? Or should I call you Sie? What about ihr? Come again?
Since then, though, it’s been great, if intense. Friends and family have come to visit, and vice versa, and I was able to explore my new surroundings more as the days became longer and the snow melted away. Alps, castles, lakes and forests aren’t so far away - nor are Switzerland, Austria and Italy - and May and June especially were largely spent out of the office. I travelled with a former EVSler from Spain, Carmen, and my project leader, Claire, to Münster and Essen (near Cologne), where we’d organised a row of concerts as part of a music festival and competition. Working with the young musicians, who’d travelled all the way from Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland and the Slovak Republic, was refreshing, as was getting to hear them play, and of course learning the various international incarnations of ‘cheers’…
After a quick sojourn back in Munich, we were in Barcelona, running a conference for some of our member organisations. It was stimulating to learn about how music is celebrated in various countries, and for ticking the remaining Santé’s, Na zdravje’s and Skål’s off the list. Now. in just two months, I’ll be finishing my EVS, and I’m looking forward to spending the time here in Munich after so much toing and froing, especially now that the Oktoberfest crowds have dried up. Mine has certainly not been a typical volunteering experience, and has probably been neither as challenging nor rewarding as many possible EVS projects, but I’m really glad to be here and have gathered many memorable experiences in the process – some documented in photographic form!
Would you like to volunteer on a fully funded European Voluntary Service (EVS) project for 6-12 months? Email: evs@concordia-iye.org.uk to request an application pack.
Alex Layden has just arrived in Latvia where he will spend the year as EVS volunter working in a language and cultural centre supporting projects connected to international youth and cultural work.
Birthday time - EVS volunteers celebrate!
“No problems, only challenges” says EVS volunteer Alex Layden
I was surprised as I waited for my plane at Glasgow to find that I was actually quite nervous about going to Latvia. In my case, the process from phoning Concordia for information about the EVS and getting into the car to go to the airport had been a matter of weeks rather than months, so there had been a sense of unreality about it, all the last minute details, coupled with trying to get potentially 12 months worth of gear into 15kg worth of baggage, had kept me too occupied to really think much about what I was doing. It was only waiting at the departure gate that I started to get concerned. Latvia? A country I know nothing about, a language I have not even the meanest knowledge of, and a volunteer project about which I had only an overview of what would be expected of me.
I reflected on this for most of the flight, but I found as I got closer to Riga International, I started to feel better. This was an adventure! What was the worst that could happen? People go travelling alone all the time, with no more than a passport and a rucksack. I was being met at the airport, I had a host organisation to sort my accommodation and food, and, break glass in case of emergency, I could always call Concordia.
I arrived in Riga 15 minutes early yesterday, and so hung around for a bit waiting, giving me a chance to reflect on the fact that I know none of the language and was entirely in the hands of the staff at the cultural centre. Fortunately they are both efficient and organised, so when, as I stood outside, I heard two people bearing luggage mention both France and Azerbaijan (in English) the lessons I had absorbed from reading The Hound of the Baskervilles on the plane came to the fore, and I introduced myself to John (from France) and Aitan (an Erasmus student from Azerbaijan).
There was another French girl coming into Riga that day, but not until 1745, so we took a bus into Riga and ditched the kit at the left luggage before going to do some sightseeing.
It was here that it got interesting. Aitan figured (quite rightly) that it was silly for all of us plus luggage to go to the airport just to come back into town again, so John and I went and had some dinner and arranged to meet Aitan and Line, the French girl later on. Later on came, and then another hour, and still John and I were kept company only by our mountain of bags.
For what I presume was some offence committed in a past life, my telephone decided that this would be a good time to play up. The time had come to phone Natasha at the centre for a game plan, and so I eventually found a signal outside the station (in the rain obviously). It was at this point that my phone gleefully informed me that I had a low battery. Cue much smiles and pantomiming at the bar where we had eaten to convince the girl there to let me charge my phone for a bit. Eventually I picked up a voice mail from Natasha telling us to wait and that there had been a problem at the airport; the plane was late and, arguably more seriously, Line wasn't on it.
When we met up with Aitan again, it was just gone 2000, and we had missed the last train, so it was to the bus station instead. We eventually got the 2120 bus which got us into Rezenke at about 0130, where we were met by Natasha and conveyed to the hostel, which was, as one might expect, different from what I am used to.
Alex's bedroom the morning after he arrived, still in need of a little warmth...
All needs are provided for, not as they would be in a hotel, but then this is the place we will be living for months, and so, I figure it is up to us to make it feel like home.
So we arrived very late on Tuesday, John and I, and by Wednesday we had met the other volunteers (those that had arrived) Elsa, from France, Luzzy, Germany, and Loukas, from Austria. First impressions were good, but I think that the purpose behind the application process in EVS is to find people who are outgoing enough to function well as part of a group in challenging circumstances, rather than people who are academically qualified (see my CV if you don’t believe me ;))
On Thursday morning we had to travel again, back to Riga, for out EVS on arrival training. In all honesty I was not enthusiastic, because I wanted to spend some time getting to know the town where I would be spending most of the next year, but at the same time I hadn’t made it to a pre-departure course in the UK, so maybe it would be full of useful information. Of course, I had no idea what to expect, but reflected that neither did anyone else, and at least it was all happening in my native language.
The journey was in itself an experience; we caught the morning train that had come into Latvia overnight from St Petersburg, and were surprised by the fact that there were beds which folded down from the walls of the carriage, and even the seats were designed as benches you could sleep on. Most of these were filled with large Russian people, who had enough experience to bring blankets and pillows with them.An interesting slant on train travel.
From Riga we took a bus out of the city to the guest house where the training course was happening, and it was here we started to meet the other EVS volunteers and get a sense of the other types of projects running in Latvia. The training course itself was actually surprisingly fun, and there was lots of useful information about the logistics surrounding an EVS project, and things which I didn’t know (covered in the pre-departure training). There wasn’t much which I would call essential, but all of it was useful, and we had a chance to talk about our projects in more depth and discuss what we would be doing and what we would get out of them. It was also a chance to really get to know not only the other volunteers from Rezekne, but also from the rest of Latvia, and network a bit, both for the sake of the projects, perhaps inviting other volunteers to events we will be hosting, and also for fun, it is good to know that there are other people in Latvia to visit to see more of the country.
Getting back from training almost brings me to the end of this little update, we got back to Rezekne late on Sunday after meeting Line at the airport, and we have spent time since then trying to figure out how to organise the day to day life in the hostel, bearing in mind there will be nine of us eventually.
The main point that came out of training for me was how much situations depend on how you perceive them. If you look at something that goes wrong as a terrible catastrophe, then chances are it is. But we are not the first people to do EVS, and chances are that there will be nothing we come across that another volunteer has not already encountered and overcome. And with the support network we have in place, it would take something quite dramatic to give us real trouble. So no problems, only challenges, and it’s shaping up to be a great year!
Would you like to volunteer on a fully funded European Voluntary Service (EVS) project for 6-12 months? Email: evs@concordia-iye.org.uk to request an application pack.
